Friday, May 28 - Whitby Abbey and Town, Littlest Church in England, and the White Horse

View of the coast near Whitby

We had to drive across the Moors today, which while absolutely beautiful, made me completely carsick. We ended up on the coast, at Whitby, a seaside town on the east coast, and home to Whitby Abbey, the jet trade, the setting from Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and one time home to Captain Cook.

So, lots to see.

We started the morning at Whitby Abbey, which is set high above the town. Using the audio guide, which featured the voice of St. Aelfred, a (woman) saint. She chronicled the Abbey’s history, through her time to St. Hilda’s, all the way to the bombing of WWI. It was very theatrical, and pretty entertaining. The family who bought the estate after the monastery’s dissolution during Henry VIII’s reign built a large house, of which only the exterior survives. The inside has been converted into a museum for the Abbey, and has many fabulous archaeological finds. I wish I could have gotten some pictures through the glass.

Whitby Abbey

Whitby Abbey with view of the coast

Former estate home, built with stone from the Abbey. The inside is now completely converted into a museum.

Rebecca playing "archaeologist"

View of the coast

Church graveyard behind Abbey, on the way to the town.

Heading down the steps to the town was like passing through a wormhole, or something. The Abbey and its environs seem anachronastic and majestic….the town touristy and very 21^st century. Everywhere you look, it’s BUY THIS, BUY THAT, OR IF NOT THAT THAN THIS!!!!!! Dangerous place. After fish and chips for lunch, we visited the Captain Cook Museum, which was quite interesting but probably rather like all of the other Captain Cook Museums around the world. Many of the things were there on loan, or else reproductions. Still, I learned quite a bit and some of the maps were pretty amazing.

After Whitby we wound our way up the coast, eventually stopping in Skelton (nothing there, bought some candy, saw both a Cooperative grocery store and a Cooperative Funeral Home), and at the “Littlest Church in England”. What do you think?

Littlest Church in England

Oh, and then we drove BACK through the Moors to visit the White Horse Rock, which evidently was featured in the recent Robin Hood movie. What do you think?

The White Horse

Supposedly prehistoric, but actually mid-19^th century. Ugh.

We got home after nine, I think we spent a total of five hours in the car. I definitely spent the last two hours playing the “Thankful” game with myself.